Syracuse Ska Forum

1.) My name is Andy, living in East Syracuse, more and more interested in Reggae/Dub/Dancehall every day.
2.) Living in Maryland I got into ska at the Korner Kick bar in Gaithersburg, which was a venue attached to an indoor soccer joint. Saw the Ratchet Boys and Eastern Standard Time there.


I'd like to start a solely dancehall band in Syracuse, and play some ska/reggae shows and house parties. I play bass, and I have a Deejay. Looking to do more 80's/90's dancehall with some solid riddims. Who wants in?

1) Casey Sanders from Rochester NY. The guy behind Book it Up Rochester.
2) My friend Sam LiButti introduced me to ska music when we began the band Run Marty! And so the experience began...
3) Public Access, Streetlight Manifesto, A Billion Ernies, We Are the Union, Bomb the Music Industry!, and more!
4) As a promoter in the ska scene I personally enjoy meeting the new faces that come through town and making friends with those and the local kids who come out to shows. I also like that there is not a problem with hate-skanking haha.
5) Seeing A Billion Ernies play in some old guys garage, singing with Robbie from TIASU and John from Murphy's Kids (at two separate shows), wandering into the Penny Arcade a few hours before the show and watching Streetlight Manifesto practice We Will Fall Together.. Fun stuff!

1) Steve Dushenko from Rochester, New York.
2) It's either a tie between hearing Reel Big Fish's "Sellout" on wber or "What I got." Which led me to early roots/reggae, other third wave bands and Two Tone music. I remember being 14 and hearing the Suicide Machines on MTV. That only happened once but just made ska that more attractive.
3) Less than Jake, Bad Manners, the Specials, Reel Big Fish
4) The positive energy and the enthusiasm. Also being surrounded by people who use skank as a verb rather than a noun. (And then proceed to do it without prompting.)
5) Playing the opening set at Scottypaluza this summer on Sunday, all while coordinating a tow truck to come up and grab one of our defunct vehicles. And zombies... I always love zombies

1) Your name, where you live, some general stuff like that.
Matt Sever, Ann Arbor, MI. I play bass for Gunday Monday.
2) How did you get into ska?
Heard a Mustard Plug CD in 7th grade.
3) What are some of your favorite ska bands?
The Aquabats, Mustard Plug, Streetlight Manifesto, Big D and the Kids Table, The Suicide Machines, etc.
4) What do you like about the ska scene?
The music, the people, the camaraderie.
5) What are some of your favorite moments from shows?
Anytime the Aquabats do something ridiculous.
Watching the mosh pit push the sound booth all the way to the back wall at the Suicide Machines reunion show.

1) Your name, where you live, some general stuff like that.
Maximillian Fox Pearson, Rochester Ny. I've recently gotten into enjoying the local music scene.

2) How did you get into ska?
When I was younger, my sister would listen to No Doubt all the time. So i listened to them, not knowing they were ska. Like 2-3 years ago, while on Pandora I came across Streetlight Manifesto's "Point/Counterpoint" and I have been in love ever since.

3) What are some of your favorite ska bands?
Mrs.Skannotto, Do It With Malice, Streetlight Manifesto, No Doubt, The Couchtesters, The Toasters, etc. etc.

4) What do you like about the ska scene?
It's a really friendly scene, and the vibe at shows is amazing. Plus skank circles are great! Sure beat moshpits.

5) What are some of your favorite moments from shows?
When I saw Streetlight Manifesto at Waterstreet 2/12, the crowd was just lovely. Really fun, great feeling. We played with balloons, one got stuck kinda on a speaker and everyone gasped. A bit after someone popped a balloon and everyone chanted "Asshole! Asshole!" The crowd gave the same treatment to some guy causing trouble before Streetlight went on.

Let's get everyone to start by introducing yourself.
Okay!

1) Your name, where you live, some general stuff like that.
Ben Perry, manager/band leader of Llama Tsunami, a ska band from far away in CT!

2) How did you get into ska?
My buddy gave me a Mustard Plug CD in high school. Then asked me to join his ska band...we sucked really bad.

3) What are some of your favorite ska bands?
Hmmm well, some of the standards: RBF, Streetlight, Save Ferris, the BossTones, the Toasters, Suburban Legends
and some of the less standard: The Bandgeek Mafia, High School Football Heroes
and the local bands we play with all the time who I just love: Threat Level Burgundy, Short Handed Goal

4) What do you like about the ska scene?
Everyone accepts everyone (with a couple of exceptions) but for the most part no one has an ego...because you're in a ska band.

5) What are some of your favorite moments from shows?
My favorite show moment was when I saw Lemon Lime Tennis Shoes, Big D, and The English Beat together on one bill. Three generations of bands, three generations of fans, and everyone was dancing together old and young. Badass.

So yeah...that's an introduction!

1. My name is Jim (33). I live in MI right now...moving to FL in a few days. I play guitar, harmonica, ukulele, and a few other instruments.
2. I got into Ska as a teenager. I remember listening to Less Than Jake with my cousin in his bedroom. That was back when Skate Punk was huge and Reel Big Fish was on the radio.
3. Less Than Jake, Streetlight Manifesto, Reel Big Fish, Faintest Idea, Mustard Plug, Rancid, etc.
4. (choose not to respond)
5. Best Ska moments revolve around LTJ. Drove out to Grand Rapids, MI to see them once. Streetlight opened, had no clue who they were. Blew my mind. Completely. LTJ tore it up. Another time, I went to see LTJ in Detroit. Got to watch them soundcheck.